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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22435684">Inseparable</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seal9/pseuds/Seal9'>Seal9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Second Chance [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Leonard Snart Lives, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, space travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:02:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,992</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22435684</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seal9/pseuds/Seal9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard and Sara haven't gone 24 hours into their new relationship before the Oculus has an important mission for the Legends. No better time to figure out their new dynamic. </p>
<p>Sequel to 'Of All Places'.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gideon/Oculus, Oculus &amp; Leonard Snart, Sara Lance/Leonard Snart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Second Chance [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1397167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Inseparable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello!</p>
<p>Been a while, I know. I've written and abandoned half a dozen different works since then. </p>
<p>People like this series and I like it too. I only wish it didn't take me more than half a year of rewriting this chapter to start it. </p>
<p>Please enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Strange noises coming from Sara’s bathroom wake her up for the second time in the past eight hours. It takes just a moment for her to realise that, once again, those strange noises are in fact Leonard’s voice fluctuating between a hushed whisper, and a gritted groan.</p>
<p>Drowsy with sleep, and with aching muscles from the <i>strenuous</i> activities of the night, Sara forces her eyelids to creep open and allow herself to confirm that Leonard is not in her bed – a location where she would much prefer him to be.</p>
<p>Sara strains her focus on the whispers coming from her bathroom, trying harder this second time around to discern anything intelligible from them. But, per the design of the Waverider’s cabins, the bathroom stalls are fastened with an almost air-tight retracting door, meaning that any sound waves inside must travel through reinforced steel, or through the ventilation system, the latter of which is definitely not designed in her favour. </p>
<p>Sara mentally curses Time Ship structural design regulations and attempts to throw off her blanket before rolling closer towards the source of the noise. She lets out an annoyed groan. The offending causation of this new sound is brought about by the lack of improvement towards making clarity out of Leonard’s whispers, and that she remains stuck under the blanket. </p>
<p>It comes with considerable reluctance, the conceding conclusion that if Sara wants to find out what this one-sided conversation in her bathroom is, she might actually have to get out of bed.</p>
<p>On any other day, Sara would want to relish in the warmth of her mattress and blankets, permitting herself just a few more minutes before she tries to get out of bed and deal with whatever issues plague her ship and its crew. Or the time stream, of course – that’s just as important too. This isn’t any other day, however, because Sara’s mind and body are acutely aware of the emptiness beside her, leaving her cold and longing for the warmth of the man in her bathroom. A part of her recognises the irony in that desire, huffing humorously despite current predicaments. </p>
<p>After the month and a half since Leonard’s return, and the ceasing of conflict between the two of them since that intimate moment in a Nazi storage closet yesterday afternoon, Sara can proudly affirm that it is wonderful to have Leonard back. So wonderful in fact, that somewhere amongst the euphoria she cruised on last night, Sara had sworn to use any means possible to ensure that she would never have to leave him behind again. She had already lost him once, before they could capitalise on the opportunity for something more between them. Years later, having been granted a second chance with him, Sara is determined not to let anything get in their way. </p>
<p>She wouldn’t lose him again.</p>
<p>“Are you fucking kidding me?” is the loudest sentence she has heard from her bathroom since awakening, but she fails to make out the succeeding sentences as Leonard seems to return to a quieter tone. </p>
<p>A spark of curiosity now begins to seep into the forefront of her thoughts, and it becomes the catalyst which sets into the motion her motivation to investigate further. The first step is to begin the process of getting herself out of bed. </p>
<p>Sara’s first attempt at kicking off the blankets don’t go well. Her attempt would be more accurately described as a chaotic flailing of lower limbs. With a disappointed huff at the embarrassing situation she finds herself in, she expends more energy than she would have preferred to successfully remove the sheets from her feet. Once free, Sara swings her legs over the edge of the bed.  </p>
<p>Warm metal meets the flat of her feet, the temperature of the surface being regulated by Gideon through climate control settings. Unfortunately, and as purported by the temperature settings that she herself had selected for her cabin, the warmth against her feet is designed to be soothing and relaxing, rather than startling and awakening. For a moment, Sara almost wants to let herself melt into the warmth and return to sleep. </p>
<p>Out of old habit, she remembers some League of Assassin training, and the relevant teachings about staying alert and ensuring that one can spring into action from slumber with minimal delay, lest they give the enemy an advantage. The teachings mention being aware of environmental factors that can affect the waking process, such as temperature, noise and comfort. </p>
<p>Factors, which Sara has clearly ignored regarding her quarters. If this were an assessment by the League, she knows that she would have been killed at least 20 different times before she even began trying to get her feet out of the blanket. </p>
<p>A feeling of déjà vu washes over her, followed by the awareness that this is not the first time she has considered League of Assassin training. </p>
<p>As with all the instances before this one, Sara makes a mental note to ignore that warning suggestion to change something about her morning routine. If someone has the capability to sneak aboard the Waverider while it’s in the Temporal Zone, creep their way through the entire ship without being detected by the thousands of sensors, and get into her room to kill her in her sleep, then Sara feels that the only respectful thing to do, from one assassin to another, is applaud the intruder and let them get on with it.  </p>
<p>A string of muffled syllables from her bathroom brings Sara back to the present and reaffirms her intention to reach Leonard and figure out why the hell he is having a conversation in her bathroom. </p>
<p>Drawing a deep breath, Sara pushes down on the mattress with her hands and rises to her feet in a swift motion that kickstarts a surge of energy through her body. As Sara twists her torso and stretches her joints, the cool airflow on her skin alerts her to the realisation that she’s not wearing any clothes. How had she not realised sooner? </p>
<p>A quick pivot on the spot and she finds them on the other side of the bedroom, discarded amongst some of Leonard’s own clothes. All of which, are in the opposite direction of the bathroom. </p>
<p>At this point, Sara has three choices to pick from: She could walk across the room and put on a t-shirt; wrap herself in the blanket which she had unfortunately thrown in anger over the other side of the bed; or she could take the direct route and confront Leonard butt-naked. </p>
<p>Although her mind drifts off into some fanciful and naughty thoughts about what kind of confrontation techniques she could employ while being naked, Sara quickly asserts the intention of simply figuring out what kind of conversation must be so important for Leonard to remove himself from a smoking hot, naked woman who he could be sharing a bed with. Not that Sara’s offended, by the way. </p>
<p>Okay…</p>
<p>Maybe just a tiny bit, but she is truly curious. After all, Leonard had mentioned last night that he was going to explain to her who- or what, he was talking with- or about. </p>
<p>Out of the three choices, the decision comes easy to her. Butt-naked it is. And it’s not just because she hasn’t got the energy or motivation to pick up some garment and don it, it’s also because the mere idea of walking away from Leonard shoots her mind back to the Wellspring, and when she had to walk away with Mick slung over her shoulders. </p>
<p>It’s stupid and irrational, she tries to tell herself. What’s the similarity here? He’s in her god damned bathroom, and she’s just going to pick up a shirt on the other side of the room. This isn’t the Vanishing Point, and it’s not like he’s going anywhere. Maybe it’s just the intimacy they shared during the night, and that it reminds her of their one and only kiss all those years ago. Just memories brought about by the familiar feelings she’s currently experiencing.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s it. Just memories. </p>
<p>She’s not as convincing as she’d like, and her efforts don’t change her decision in the end. </p>
<p>Sara sticks with the choice that gets her to Leonard faster. </p>
<p>As she approaches, his voice grows increasingly more discernible until all that separate Sara from the source of the whispering is a grey door made of solid steel. </p>
<p>“At what point could I have possibly brought the topic up with her?” Leonard scoffs.</p>
<p>Ambiguous use of a pronoun is deemed the perfect spot for Sara’s curiosity to latch onto. </p>
<p>He pauses for a moment, and Sara strains her ears to listen for any other possible source of communication: a phone, a speaker, anything? She detects nothing by the time Leonard continues. </p>
<p>“God,” she hears Leonard let out an exasperated sigh, “Don’t tell me you spent all night thinking about her?”</p>
<p>Just who is he referring to, Sara wonders?</p>
<p>“Of course, you did,” she hears him add, “Hey, no,” his tone suddenly shifting defensively, “Our situations are different, and you know that. It would work much differently for you than it does for me.”</p>
<p>The words coming out Leonard’s mouth only make Sara more and more confused, which she supposes is the case with hearing only a snippet of any one-sided conversation. But the point of the matter remains; what the hell is going on?</p>
<p>“Leonard?” Sara calls out tentatively, placing a flat palm on the wall beside the door in the event that it unexpectedly opens before her.  </p>
<p>Judging by the loud thud, followed by a gritted curse, Sara gathers he had been startled at the sound of her voice and hit himself against something. Likely hard and metal. </p>
<p>“Ouch,” she hears him grunt, then make some throat-clearing noise, “Sara? Hello?”<br/>
“Is everything okay?” the tentativeness in her voice persists.<br/>
“Yes, I’m good,” she hears him answer firmly, only for him to continue with, “Shut up, you arse.”</p>
<p>Sara flinches back at the unexpectedness of it, but her mind quickly associates that last phrase as being directed to the mysterious person on the other side of the conversation. </p>
<p>“Sorry, I wasn’t calling you an arse,” he adds sincerely, “That was to the other one.”</p>
<p>His apology does little to provide clarity, considering the ambiguous use of pronouns for the two parties, but she gathers the impression from the way his voice recedes during his speech, that he must have been facing her during the apology, and then turned away when regarding the ‘other one.’</p>
<p>“Who are you talking to, Leonard?” Sara asks.<br/>
Shuffling of feet can be heard faintly behind the door, “Uh, just the-. Hold on. No, now is not a good time for you to show me something.”<br/>
“I’m going to open the door, Leonard,” Sara announces loudly, her hand sliding down towards the button.<br/>
“Alright,” she hears him respond calmly, only for a surge of notable panic and regret to be heard in his voice, “Wait, no, I wasn’t talking to-”</p>
<p>Leonard’s voice cuts out from the bathroom like an audio recording put on pause, just as the bathroom door retracts into the wall and reveals the empty room, void of any presence of the crook. </p>
<p>Sara sees herself staring back in the reflection of the mirror, right where Leonard should have been by all accounts. </p>
<p>Trapped in some trance of questionable disbelief, Sara is fixed to the spot. She finds it perplexing, and considerably difficult on her tired mind to reconcile the empty bathroom, with the sound of Leonard’s voice which was in there a second prior. </p>
<p>After who knows how long, Sara snaps free of this mental state and realises that Leonard had vanished.</p>
<p>“Gideon?” Sara whispers, her single word containing the implied question within it.<br/>
“I do not detect Leonard anywhere on the Waverider,” the solemn voice replies.</p>
<p>Still staring deep at her reflection, Sara inhales deeply before letting out a ferocious roar. </p>
<p class="align-center">XXX</p>
<p>“Where’s Snart?” Mick asks, having decided to wait until just after inserting his sixth spoonful of cereal before asking Sara the question that had clearly been on his mind since the moment she walked into the galley minutes ago and taken a seat, where she had since then been staring emptily at the wall of vines and flowers. </p>
<p>There’s a knowing look in his eyes which adds to the implied knowledge that is contained in his question. Sara doesn’t notice this of course, because she has her back to the room. The captain and the crook’s return to the Waverider from the Nazi base may have avoided detection of the crew, but Mick had noticed Leonard’s absence yesterday evening, as well as their captain’s. A cool smirk on Gideon’s face when he had asked of their whereabouts was all he needed to put two-and-two together. </p>
<p>Sara shrugs silently, eyes fixated on one of the vines that curl its way up the rail. </p>
<p>Mick chews down the mouthful of cereal and furrows his brows inquisitively at Sara’s display of response. </p>
<p>“Hey, captain. Hey, Mick,” the sound of Raymond’s voice comes from the doorway of the galley, joined by the sound of his squeaky rubber soles against the floor.</p>
<p>One quick scan of the room later, and Ray looks like he wants to ask a question but refrains from doing so after he casts a cautious glance at the captain as if he doesn’t want to offend her with his question.  </p>
<p>He looks up at the boy scout, who walks over and joins Mick at the counter. </p>
<p>“Where’s Leonard? I thought he’d be up by now,” whispers the boy scout, who Mick realises is still under the impression that a wall of animosity still stands between the captain and the recently returned crook. </p>
<p>On second thought, Mick now begins to doubt whether his impression on the updated relation still stands. To see his captain looking like… the way she is; silent, expressionless, void, makes Mick begin to wonder whether his former partner has something to do with it. Of course, Mick knows that the captain’s not the type of person to just let herself take the hit and do nothing about it – you mess with her and she messes with you back – but he can feel his anger rising in defence of his captain. </p>
<p>He doesn’t like getting involved in other people’s business, he believes that he doesn’t have a place in other people’s affairs, but if Snart’s screwing around with his captain’s feelings like this… </p>
<p>Mick clenches his fist tightly around the spoon and barely constrains the furious look on his face. Snart should know better from his own experience. Mick knows that he should know.</p>
<p>Maybe he’s wrong about it. Maybe he’s connecting the wrong the dots or something. He hopes he’s wrong. </p>
<p>“Leonard has vanished from the ship as of eight minutes ago,” announces Gideon from a speaker in the ceiling, followed shortly by her android form entering the galley behind Raymond.<br/>
“Vanished?” Raymond repeats, spinning around to track Gideon, who walks past him and Mick with a pleasant smile.</p>
<p>Intrigue takes form on Mick’s face as he looks between the three occupants in the galley. A firm analysis of Sara’s figure indicates to him that the announcement of Snart’s sudden vanishment is no surprise to their captain. Raymond has that <i>huh?</i> look about him that he gets when someone says something surprising to him. And Gideon walks over to the dispensary where she extracts a cup that floods Mick’s senses with the mouth-watering aroma of hot chocolate.</p>
<p>The physical manifestation of their ASI takes this bulb of chocolate and walks over to Sara, holding it out to the blonde woman with an unwavering and unfaltering absoluteness. Mick suspects that Gideon would stand there all day until Sara takes the drink from Gideon’s hands. Truthfully, Gideon could stand there for all eternity if that’s what it took to make Sara accept the drink. </p>
<p>Mick catches a shift in the profile of Sara’s face where eyes are cast away from the wall and upwards at the imposing figure. A silent exchange of looks is made, and the captain reluctantly accepts the cup and takes an even more reluctant sip.</p>
<p>Vanished? What the hell is Snart’s game here? The first thought in Mick’s mind brings forth another surge of anger. Snart wouldn’t do something like that. He refuses to even give it another thought. </p>
<p>Satisfied with their captain’s compliance, Gideon turns to Mick and Raymond with a contemplative look on her face, “On second thought, I believe <i>vanished,</i> might be an improper choice of terminology for this circumstance.”<br/>
“What’s the right choice?” Mick frowns grumpily, though relaxes with the relief simultaneously. </p>
<p>Gideon’s lips press tightly as she considers, “I think, <i>unwillingly extracted,</i> is more appropriate. Based on Leonard’s final words aboard the ship, I am under the impression that the entity he was talking to, wanted to transport him to some location, and either intentionally or unintentionally mistook his exchange with the captain, as acceptance for extraction.”</p>
<p>Mick blinks dumbfoundedly. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots Raymond, who sports a strikingly similar expression to his own, which makes Mick immediately frown.</p>
<p>Focusing on one particular aspect of Gideon’s answer, Raymond asks, “Entity? Do you mean-”<br/>
“The Oculus?” Gideon finishes, then nods to confirm as the answer. </p>
<p>When Snart had told Mick about the Oculus, and what happened at the Wellspring, the conversation had left Mick feeling unsure about many things. </p>
<p>To learn that the giant machine above the supernova was actually a containment unit for a conscious entity, had taken Mick aback. And when Snart had made the comment that destroying the Oculus was a mistake, he almost couldn’t believe his ears. </p>
<p>In the years since Snart had been killed, which through a technicality was a true statement, Mick had hated the Oculus. But to Mick, it was always going to be the lifeless machine which had killed his best friend, not some sentient being which had saved Snart and given the crook a chance at something greater in life. </p>
<p>For Leonard’s sake, Mick tried to be less resentful towards the machine and had been doing a <i>relatively</i> modest job at doing so. Yet at the mention of the Oculus being the reason for Snart’s disappearance, Mick can feel the bubbling rise of anger and vengeful frustration. </p>
<p>“How, exactly?” the curious Raymond asks.<br/>
Gideon silently considers for a moment before answering, “Leonard has made only brief mention of this ability to me, but the Oculus possess some intrinsic ability that allows it to, as he describes it, <i>trick the universe.</i> With that, the Oculus can transport Leonard across the entire universe instantaneously.”</p>
<p>Mick lets out a forceful huff, “You saying that Snart could have gone anywhere in the universe?”<br/>
Gideon looks apologetic as she nods, “Leonard has told me that this ability transcends alternate universes.”</p>
<p>Mick sighs as he processes the implication of infinity times infinity. </p>
<p>Leonard could be anywhere, in any universe. And Mick doesn’t even have to ask Gideon to know that there are no feasible means of tracking him. </p>
<p>“What do we do?” Raymond asks, always looking for some possible string of hope to tug on.<br/>
Gideon shakes her head, “Nothing. All that we can do is wait until he returns, or sends a signal for us.”</p>
<p>Mick looks at his captain, watching as she continues to stare blankly at the wall. Gideon places a comforting hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p class="align-center">XXX</p>
<p>“-you!” Leonard sighs frustratedly that he had not been hasty enough to rectify his mistake, “Fuck.”<br/>
The Oculus, looking exactly like Sara, stands off to the side and points, “See that?”</p>
<p>Sometime around the third year of his space-time travel, when he reasoned that he was experienced enough with the Oculus’ methods of transportation, Leonard developed what he calls a TRAP – Teleportation Reaction Analysis Process. This is a series of simple questions that can be answered by his body’s various innate senses. </p>
<p>The questions go in an order something like this:</p>
<p>Travelled universe?<br/>
Atmosphere/oxygen?<br/>
Gravity?<br/>
If yes, mass, thrust, spin, or artificial?<br/>
Temperature?<br/>
Sound?</p>
<p>And concludes with:</p>
<p>Is this a trap?</p>
<p>That last question – and the reason for the redesigned acronym – was added to the questionnaire after an incident where space pirates had been setting a trap aboard a starship for an Imperialist VIP who was on a tour around a nebula sector. The Oculus has told Leonard that he was to meet with a tech broker who could provide him with equipment for his new mission that required him venturing into the nebula itself. An instant before teleportation, time had what the Oculus would later explain as a hiccup, which is slightly different from an anachronism, but similar enough that the distinction really does not matter. </p>
<p>Three decades of use allowed Leonard to hone and perfect his non-visual identification techniques, to the point where answering the questions became a subconscious process and allowed him to prioritise identifying visual elements. </p>
<p>Despite being caught off-guard by the teleportation, Leonard’s mind still completes his TRAP.</p>
<p>The lack of nauseating sickness and tingling nerves means that he hasn’t entered an alternate universe. </p>
<p>The breathable atmosphere has a stale, pungent odour that smells like entering a dusty attic.  </p>
<p>Leonard’s feet are firm on the ground, confirming the presence of gravity, while an invisible force pushing directly down on him leads to the conclusion of the source being artificial, rather than thrust or spin. </p>
<p>The cold temperature reminds Leonard of opening a freezer door and standing in the path of the escaping air. Wearing only boxer shorts doesn’t help in this matter. </p>
<p>Lastly, Leonard can hear the distinct beeping and whirring of machines and computers nearby, which originates from the point of interest that the Oculus had pointed to. </p>
<p>A wall filled with monitors glows brightly with swarms of data: radar, telemetry, and various other operational processes. A screen of frequencies clues Leonard into presuming that this station is some kind of listening post or waypoint station for a space-communication system.  </p>
<p>Sure, Leonard sees what the Oculus wants him to – it’s so natural for him to jump into action upon arrival now – but this time is different, and he forces himself to ignore it. </p>
<p>“What part of, <i>not wanting to be someone who has to keep walking away from them at your beck and call,</i> did you not understand?” Leonard snaps angrily, fiercely glaring into the back of the Oculus.  </p>
<p>It turns around and stares back with Sara’s bright eyes, looking at him as if he’s sputtering nonsense, “You said, <i>alright.</i>”<br/>
Leonard growls, “I was saying that to Sara! Who is now probably wondering where the fuck you’ve taken me,” he adds.</p>
<p>The Oculus raises its hands defensively, pleading for a chance to explain itself, “Look. This is a very quick, and highly important matter that I have to bring to your attention. It’s what I need your team for. I’ll send you back as soon as I’ve shown you. Promise.”</p>
<p>Leonard’s displeasure only grows when he looks down at his grey boxer shorts. </p>
<p>“Could be worse,” he mutters under his breath, aware that it has been worse on numerous occasions. </p>
<p>Leonard walks up to the wall of screens and tries to look for some kind of indication of what galaxy, or sector, he might be in. A screen shifts display automatically and reveals a set of coordinates that Leonard’s mind places somewhere around Sector 2. </p>
<p>“What do you see in the data?” Sara’s voice asks, pointing to one of the monitors that display results from the scanners. </p>
<p>Thousands upon thousands of signals appear as one big collective mass of data, and it takes Leonard all of 10 seconds to figure the signatures. </p>
<p>“That’s a fuck-ton of ships,” Leonard drawls, letting out a low whistle, “Who’s are they?”</p>
<p>The Oculus turns it head to face Leonard, a detectable amount of seriousness in its eyes, “The Reach.”</p>
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